Telegraph-key.



. tlhlfillli) STATES PATEN'I @FFIC.

\VlLLlAh'i O. (F FE. ()F CLEVELAND. OHIO, ASSIGNOH. BY DIRECT AND:

M ESNE ASSN .\l ENTS, TO BENJ AM I N F.

OHIO.

BELLOWS, OF CLEVELAND,

TELEGRAPl-h-KEYL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patemedreb. 13,1906.

Application filed January 11, 1904. Serial No. 188.448.

Be it known that l, \YiLLiAu O. COFFE, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahogaai'id State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in lelegraph-K eys, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description; reference being had to the 800011? panying drawings.

The ordinary Morse key requires a movement of the operators hand for each dot or dash. This is extremely tiresome and weara ing on the operator. To relieve the nervous adjustment as the battery runs down.

The object of this invention is to provide a mechanism to accomplish the same result while doing away with the electromagnets and batteries, the construction being at once simple, cheap. durable. and not liable to get out of order.

To this end the apparatus consists of a controllcn Said/controller comprising a vibrator 5 having a uniform rate of vibration and ope"- ated mechanically and adapted when ro-j leased'to make and break the circuit, and a key operating to release the vibrator to effect the dots, another movement being provided for the dashes.

The more particular embodiment of the iiivention herein shown and more fully hereinafter described is also comprised within the present invention.

in the drawings, Figure l is a side elevm tion of my improved key, and Fig. 2 is a plan thereof sectioned through the vibrator-arm and its standard. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the key-lever, being on the line 5-} I of Fig. 2. Fig. is a perspective view of the apparatus, showing the arrangement of circuits.

the contact-points D and l).

The same letters of reference designate the same parts in each figure.

Referring to the embodiment of parts shown in the drawings, A represents a suit} able base,-fr0n1 which rises a standard B.

Pivotally carried by this standard is the-depending vibratonarm C. There may bean adj ustable pivot-screw b for lightly support ing this arm and an electric conductor b, connecting the arm with the-standard. Slidahly mounted on the arm C is shown'a weight 0, which may be clamped in adjusted position by a set-screw 6'. At the lower end of the arm C is the leaf-spring 0 which projects between a pair of stop-screws D D, these screws being carried by suitable standards. in the vertical position of'the vibrator or pendulum C the spring 0" is preferably midway between Fig. 1 indicates by X and Y a main line. One terminal X connected with the standard B and the other terminal Y withthe stopscrew 1). From this it resultsthat if the spring 0' is in contact with the stop l) the cir cuit is closed. if the spring is out of contact with this stop, the circuit is open.

E represents a liar-lever pivotallv mounted on the standard 1. 'lhis lever extends across and is adapted to bearaganist the pen duluni C. It is drawn toward the pendulum b v'a spring F, suitably adjusted by a screw'f. Suit-able stop-screws (l and (x are provided for limiting the movement of the key-levei. 'ith the parts in normal position, as shown in the drawings, the spring F d 'aws the k0 leverto the rightagainst the stop G, and this holds the pendulum with the lcal spring c bent against the stop-screw l). key-lever is moved a way from the stop G into engagementwith the stop G the pendulum is released and swings awav from the stop I) Now if the and over against the stop l) under the iii-l=li1" ence of gravity, momentum, and the retractile lorceol' the spring c. This closes the encuit at l but the pendulum immediately roturning breaks the contact, and thus causes a dot to be sent over the line. swings against the stop l anothcrdot is sent, and so on. The length of the pendulum is such that the successive makes and brcaksfin 5 the circuit which it causes shall send the suc- 1 cession of dots over the line at a high rate of speed. i have found a pendulum four or ive l inches long to be very satisfactory; but the As it again i length varies with the stiffness of the spring c and with the speed required. The sliding weight 0 allows variations of the effective length of the pendulum. The weight 0, though desirable, is not absolutely essential, as the result could be accomplished by making the arm C heavier. The elasticity of the spring 0 not only assists momentum, but insures the pendulum making effective contact on its successive swings. In the lVlorse alphabet six dots is the maximum required for any character, (six dots represent the figure 6; five dots, the letter P, four dots, the letter H, these being the characters using the most dot-5,) and the pendulum could easily make ten or twelve dots, and so it is certain to make any number required from one to six, according to the length of time the key-lever E is held away from the stop G. The are through which the pendulum swings is so very short that its movement is substantially uniform and the dots are made with an accuracy exceeding the best hand practice. Adjustment of the stop-screws D and D allows the sending to be light or heavy, as desired.

For the movement of the key-lever E, I secure to it, preferably in front of its support 6, a suitable wing or finger-piece e. By means of a leaf-spring h another finger-piece h is carried by the key-lever. These finger-pieces may be of hard rubber. The finger-piece h carries a suitablecontact-point 7%, which is connected with the same main-line terminal Y to which the stop D is connected. This contact-point 7L cooperates with the contactpoint e carried by, the key-lever and connected by means of the key-lever and the standard e with the other main-line terminal X, which leads also to the standard B, as here tofore stated. Thus the finger'pieces e and h, which I term the ffinger mechanism, form another means for closing the circuit. These pieces are caused to approach each other by pressure of the operators first finger on the piece h whenever it is desired to make a dash, and the contact-points h and a contacting close the circuit for as long a period as such pressure is maintained. hen the pressure is released, the springh separates the contacts. the mechanism is acted on by a pressure toward the left of the operators'first finger on the piece h. I In making the dots the whole finger mechanism is swung to the right by pressure of the thumb on the piece a, and

this releases the pendulum until the proper number of dots have been made, when their continuance is cut off by the return of the key-lever.

One of the advantages of my apparatus is that it is all contained in a single instrument. The wiring from the standards B ande and the contact-points D andh terminates in a pair of binding-posts K, and all that is nec- In making the dashes, therefore,"

essary to do is to connect two terminals of the main line to these posts.

I claim '1. In a telegraplikey, in combination, a gravity vibrator adapted to swing by its own tendency and thereby make and break the circuit, a linger-key adapted to release the vibrator, and an adjacent finger-key adapted to open and close the circuit independently of the vibrator.

2. In a telegraph-transmitter, the combination of a stop and a spring 006 crating therewith, each forming a terminal 0 an electri'c circuit, and a pendulum carrying one of said terminals, and means for holding said pendulum from swinging and allowing it to swing as desired.

3. In a telegraph-key, in combination, a stop, a spring cooperating therewith each forming a terminal of an electric circuit, and a pendulum carrying one of said terminals, and means for holding said pendulum from swinging and allowing it to swing as desired, a finger-piece for operating said means, and an adjacent finger-piece for closing the circuit independently of the pendulum'.

4. The combination of an arm adapted to vibrate and make and break an electric contact, a key-lever engaging said arm to preventits vibrating, a finger piece on said keyleverljfor moving itto release said arm, and

an adjacent fingerpiece for making the contact independently of said arm.

5. The combination of a standard, a depending pendulum supported thereby, a spring carried by said pendulum and adapted to swing the same freely in both directions, an electric terminal. cooperating the ewith, and a key-lever adapted to control said pendulum.

6. The combination of a standard, a pen dulum suspended therefrom, a spring carried by said pendulum at its lower end, a stopscrew forming an electric terminal which said spring is adapted to engage, and akeylever adapted to bear against said pe dulum electric terminal 'which said spring is adapted to engage, a keywlever adapted to bear against said pendulum and normally hold it with the spring, out of contact with the stop-screw, and a weight adjustably carried by said pendulum for var, 'ing its effective length.

8. The com ination of a standard, a pe n dulum supported thereby and adapted to swing freely in both directions,an electric terminal cooperating therewith; and a key-lever adapted to control said pendulum, a fingerpiece for ope ting said key-lever and an adj acent finger-piece for making dashes.

sisting of a key comprising a pivoted levercarrying a pair of finger-pieces, by one of which the key is given a movement to makeand break another circuit.

11. In a telegraphic transmitter, 111! combination, a vibrator adapted to make and break an electrical circuit, a key-lever forcontrolhug the operation of said vibrator, and an independent circuit-controller carried by said lever.

12. In a telegraphic transmitter, the convbination of a vibrating controller including a spring, said spring constituting one terminal of an electric circuit, ,a cooperating terminal, finger mechanism adapted to be operated by the thumb and finger pressing in opposite directions, lever mechanism operatable thereby and adapted to allow the controller to vibrate and bring said terminals into contact, and a pair of contacts additional to said controller, one of said contacts being operatively connected with the finger mechanism.

13. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination of a contact and a spring cooperating therewith, each forming a terminalof an electric circuit, a vibrating circuit-controller having a uniform rate of oscillation and carrying one of said terminals, means for holding said controller from swinging and for allowing .it to swing as desired, a pair of contacts additional to said controller, and finger means for operating such allowing means and for closing said last-mentioned contacts.

let. The combination with acontroller adapted to vibrate and make and break an electric circuit, a lever adapted to engage said contri'iller and prevent its vibrating, .a finger-piece movable in one direction independently of said lever, a pair of contacts independcn t of said controller, one of said contacts bein movable and rigidly connected with. said hngcrpiece, whereby the movement of such finger-piece may close such contacts without moving said lever, and means for moving said lever in the opposite direction to release the controller.

15. he combination of a controller adapted-to vibrate and make and break an electric circuit, a lever adaptedto engage said controllerand prevent its vibrating, a spring acting on said lever to normally hold it in such position, a linger-piece connected with the lever and adapted to more it a way from the vibrator, a pair of contacts additional to the vibrator, and

in the direction to release the vibrator and movable independently of said lcvcr mi the opposite direction.

means connected with one of said contacts and movable with sa dlm'cr 16. In a telegraphic transmitter, theron biiiation of a contact and a spring coopemt ingtherewith; each forming a terminal of an electric circuit, a vibrating circuit-controller having a uniform rate of oscillation and carrying one of said terminals, amcmber adapted to initiate the vibration of said C()11tl()ll0l, ll spring acting on said inemberto hold the troller inidle position, a pair of contact ditional to said controller, and linger mec anism adapted to be operated by the thumb and finger pressing in opposite directions and serving by one of such movements to close said additional contacts and by the othcnto move said member to render the controller active.

v 17. In a telegraphic transmitter, the orm bination of a contact and a spring (fOtiIHl'tlF: ing therewith, each forming a terminal cl an electric circuit, a circuit-controllcr capable of making and breaking a circuit at. a unil'm m rate and carrying one of said terminals, a lever normally engaging saidcontroller lo hold said spring and contact out of engagcnnn t, and means cooperating with said lever for making and breaking the circuit indcpend ently of said controller, substantially as set forth.

184-111 a telegraphic transmitter, the com; bination of a cont-roller adapted to vibrateand make and break a circuit, linger mocha-n: ism adapted to be operated by the thumb and finger pressing in opposite directions a pair of contacts additional to said controller! adapted to becloscd by one of saidlpressurcs.

and mechanism between the linger, inechasn ism and the controller positively engaging the controller and actuatable by the opposite pressure to render said controller active.

19 In a telegraph instrument, the combi-.

nation of a vibrator adapted to be held at one end and vibrate at the other and carrying a spring constituting one terminal of an clcct-ric circuit, a contact and a stop, a. lingerpiece and mechanism controlled thereby l'or normally holding said vibrator against the stop and with the contacts open but sulaptcd to allow the vibrator to make a succession ol contacts.

20. In a telegraphic i *ansurilicr, the combination of a vibrator, said vibrator carrying one terminal of an electric circuit and including a normally constrained spring, a cooperating terminal, a linger piece, and lover mechanism operated thereby and adapted lo hold the tern'iinals out of contucl with the spring constrained or to permit the vibrator to operate'and bring said terminals into con.- making and breaking a circuit at a uniform tact.

21. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination of a controller capable of vibrating and making and breaking a circuit and including a spring, a restraining-arm therefor, a spring acting on said. arm to cause it to prevent the controller l'l'om vibrating, a pair oi" contacts independent of said controller, and linger nwchanism having two movements, by one of which it closes theindependent contacts, and by the other of which it moves the arm'against the action of the spring to render the controller active.

22. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination of a vibrator capable of making and breaking a circuit. at a u pit orm rate, key-lever mechanism normally engaging said vibrator and preventing it from operating, means eooperating with said mechanism for making and breaking the circuitindependently of said vibrator, said mechanism being capable of a movement to withdraw it from engagement with said vibrator, substantially as set forth.

23. In a teleg'aphic instrument, the combination of a vibratory controller including a spring supported at one end, a contact and a stop on opposite sides of the path of vibration of said controller, a linger-piece, audmechanism controlled thereby l ornormally holding said controller against the. stop with the contacts open, but adapted to render it active to vibrate and make a succession of contacts.

24. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination of a circuit-controller, linger mechanism adapted to be operated by the thumb and linger pressing in opposite directions, a pairof contacts additional to the. controller adapted to be closed by one ol said pressures, and mechanism between the [i nger mechanism and the controllerpositively engaging the controller and actuatablc by the other of said pressures to render said controller active.

25. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination of a circuit-controller capable of rate, fin er-key mechanism, a contact for said mec hanism, mechanical means extending between said mechanism and said controller and normally preventing the o eration of said controller, said mechanism eing capable of two movements, by one of which it actuat-es said mechanical means to ermit the operation of said controller, and ii other of which it engages its contact.

26. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination oi a circuit-controller, means for rendering said controller inactive, finger-key mechanism, a contact therefor, said mechanism being capable of two movements, by one of which it-operates said means and renders the controller active, stud by the other of which it is brought into operative relation with its contact. V

27. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination of a controller capable of making and breaking a circuit at a uniform rate, a pivoted arm normally reventin the operation of said controller, finger mec anism and a contact for said mechanism, said mechanism being capable of two movements, by one. of which it moves the arm to permit the operation of the controller, and by the other of which it engages its contact.

28. In a telegraphic transmitter, the combination of a circuit-controller, a pivoted member, means acting on said member to hold said controller in inactive osition, fin-' ger mechanism and a contact t erefor, said mechanism being capable of two movements, by one of which it operates said member to render the controller active, and by the other of which it isbrought into operative relation with its contact.

In testimony whereof I hereunto-affix my signature in.the presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM O. COFFE. Witnesses ALBERT I'I. BATES, M. S. bIETZENBAUM.

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